The growing shift to more and more  higher paying jobs not requiring a college degree did not catch the Manteca Unified School District flat-footed.

Not only did the district not abandon traditional vocational education decades ago when that was the trend for many California schools districts, but their deeper dive in recent years into non-college career technical education paths has been based on a holistic approach.

It has involved zeroing in on local/regional employment markets by working directly with experts in trucking, logistic, agriculture, health careers, the construction trades, food and hospitality services, public safety and more.

As a result, the district has had success at aligning its 24 CTE pathways to the immediate job market with providing the basic skills needed for a number of high school graduates to get their foot in the door after leaving high school.

That involves everything from an entry level job in construction-related trades that have the ability through advancement of skills to reach six-figure to be able to step directly into more advanced training programs.

“Preparing students for life beyond graduation is not just a goal, it is a responsibility Manteca Unified embraces with purpose,” said MUSD Assistant Superintendent Victoria Brunn. “Through MUSD’s robust College and Career Readiness initiatives, including 24 Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways spanning 11 industry sectors, students are empowered to discover their strengths, pursue their passions, and graduate prepared for both college and the workforce.”
“Taught by industry experts, these courses offer hands-on, experiential learning and are frequently articulated with local colleges, giving students the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school and prepare them for real-world careers.”
In some cases over the years such as in metal fabrication, students have full-time jobs waiting after high school  with firms that work with Manteca Unified’s CTE endeavors.”

That said, MUSD is not one dimensional.

They continue to make more students “college ready” based on standards at the same time more and more students are securing marketable skills in well-paying non-degree fields or the basics needed to do well to secure advance training in trade schools.

“With growing enrollment and expanded offerings, Manteca Unified's CTE program is opening doors to industry-aligned experiences and equipping students with practical skills for careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math),” Brunn noted.

In the last California of Education dashboard that quantifies where schools stand based on state established metrics, Manteca Unified saw a 4.5 percent increase in the percentage of high school students classified as “prepared” in terms of college/career indicators.

That includes a 19.6 percent “supercompleters”.

The actual number reached 323 students in the 2024-25 school year, up from 270 in the previous year. Those are students who complete a CTE pathway, earn at least a “B”  in the capstone class, and complete 50 hours or more of community classroom hours in a setting aligned to their CTE pathway.

As an example, students in a public safety pathway built on fire service careers could up with hands-on learning as a Manteca Fire Department Explorer.

The success rates in college preparedness and CTE are reflected in Manteca’s 91.2 percent graduation rate, significantly higher than the California average of 84.7 percent.

There are 4,000 plus — or close to half — of the district’s high school level students enrolled in at least one CTE class.

That includes 1,028 students at East Union High, 978 at Manteca High, 941 at Lathrop High, 711 at Sierra High, 83 at New Vision High, and 52 at Calla High.

The numbers reflect students that are completely zeroed in on a specific career path, those exploring options to see what they might like or dislike, and even college bound students that are looking for options that could help pay for their post-secondary education.

“Over the last few years, Manteca Unified has aligned many CTE courses with college and career readiness standards, including A-G course requirements, opportunities to earn college credit, and industry-recognized certifications” Brunn added. “These enhancements have improved the relevance of instruction while giving students flexibility in their course selection, fueling increased engagement in pathways that lead to real-world success.”

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com